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Drbio · 03-18-2005, 05:24 PM

Clinton adviser: Kerry ran inconsistent campaign
By Associated Press
Thursday, March 17, 2005 - Updated: Mar. 18, 2005 10:41 AM EST

ALBANY, N.Y. - A top adviser to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton thinks fellow Democrat John Kerry [related, bio] ``ran what was basically an inconsistent campaign'' for president last year, according to a published report Thursday. Clinton and Kerry are considered potential rivals for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. The Kerry campaign had ``a different message every two or three weeks,'' Ann Lewis, director of communications for Clinton's political action committee, told the Forward, a weekly New York City-based newspaper aimed at a Jewish audience. Lewis is quoted as saying the Kerry campaign ``kept trying to rationally convince, to put a presidency together, line by line, plan by plan.'' She said people ``don't vote for plans, they vote for presidents.''

Asked about the Forward's report, Lewis told The Associated Press that her comments ``reflect general post-election conversations about campaign strategy that were discussed throughout the party.'' ``I worked very hard for John Kerry's election,'' Lewis told the AP, saying she was ``deeply sorry he lost.'' ``It doesn't sound like the Ann Lewis I worked with at the Kerry campaign in 2004,'' said Jenny Backus, a Kerry political aide, after reading the Forward story. ``Kerry and Clinton are very close,'' Backus added. ``They're working together on lots of good bills. He's doing a big fund-raiser for her (Senate campaign) in Boston. He headlined a big fund-raiser for her in (Washington) D.C.''

``As Senator Clinton said after the election, she thinks John Kerry ran a strong campaign,'' said Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines. Hank Sheinkopf, a veteran Democratic operative, said Lewis' comments are ``not helpful to Hillary.'' ``What Hillary needs is a smooth playing field,'' said Sheinkopf, who worked on President Clinton's 1996 re-election campaign. ``All this does is create waves.''

``It'll create more internecine warfare among Democrats, and those who want to take shots at Hillary, who are Kerry loyalists, are now going to do that more than they would have before,'' Sheinkopf added. Lewis is a veteran political operative, having worked on President Clinton's re-election campaign and then becoming White House communications director. She was a key adviser to the former first lady during her successful New York Senate race in 2000. Recent independent polls have shown Clinton well ahead of Kerry and his running mate, former Sen. John Edwards [related, bio], among Democratic voters asked their preference for the 2008 presidential nomination.

In the wake of Kerry's loss to President Bush [related, bio], Clinton had commended her fellow Democrat for running ``a strong campaign.''

``I campaigned across the country on behalf of John Kerry ,and I am disappointed by the results of this election,'' she said at the time.

03-18-2005, 05:24 PM	#1
Drbio Banned Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Nowhere Posts: 40,924	Dimocraps start fighting with each other...only a matter of time Clinton adviser: Kerry ran inconsistent campaign By Associated Press Thursday, March 17, 2005 - Updated: Mar. 18, 2005 10:41 AM EST ALBANY, N.Y. - A top adviser to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton thinks fellow Democrat John Kerry [related, bio] ``ran what was basically an inconsistent campaign'' for president last year, according to a published report Thursday. Clinton and Kerry are considered potential rivals for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. The Kerry campaign had ``a different message every two or three weeks,'' Ann Lewis, director of communications for Clinton's political action committee, told the Forward, a weekly New York City-based newspaper aimed at a Jewish audience. Lewis is quoted as saying the Kerry campaign ``kept trying to rationally convince, to put a presidency together, line by line, plan by plan.'' She said people ``don't vote for plans, they vote for presidents.'' Asked about the Forward's report, Lewis told The Associated Press that her comments ``reflect general post-election conversations about campaign strategy that were discussed throughout the party.'' ``I worked very hard for John Kerry's election,'' Lewis told the AP, saying she was ``deeply sorry he lost.'' ``It doesn't sound like the Ann Lewis I worked with at the Kerry campaign in 2004,'' said Jenny Backus, a Kerry political aide, after reading the Forward story. ``Kerry and Clinton are very close,'' Backus added. ``They're working together on lots of good bills. He's doing a big fund-raiser for her (Senate campaign) in Boston. He headlined a big fund-raiser for her in (Washington) D.C.'' ``As Senator Clinton said after the election, she thinks John Kerry ran a strong campaign,'' said Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines. Hank Sheinkopf, a veteran Democratic operative, said Lewis' comments are ``not helpful to Hillary.'' ``What Hillary needs is a smooth playing field,'' said Sheinkopf, who worked on President Clinton's 1996 re-election campaign. ``All this does is create waves.'' ``It'll create more internecine warfare among Democrats, and those who want to take shots at Hillary, who are Kerry loyalists, are now going to do that more than they would have before,'' Sheinkopf added. Lewis is a veteran political operative, having worked on President Clinton's re-election campaign and then becoming White House communications director. She was a key adviser to the former first lady during her successful New York Senate race in 2000. Recent independent polls have shown Clinton well ahead of Kerry and his running mate, former Sen. John Edwards [related, bio], among Democratic voters asked their preference for the 2008 presidential nomination. In the wake of Kerry's loss to President Bush [related, bio], Clinton had commended her fellow Democrat for running ``a strong campaign.'' ``I campaigned across the country on behalf of John Kerry ,and I am disappointed by the results of this election,'' she said at the time.